Typically, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system employs a radio frequency (RF) amplifier to drive RF coils located within a main magnet structure of the MRI system. The RF amplifier accepts as input a series of pulses generated by an external RF source and generates as output a series of pulses of increased power. The RF amplifier's output is used to drive the RF coils.
As improved image quality is demanded, higher Tesla magnets are required, necessitating greater RF amplifier output power. Providing a greater output power, however, can introduce RF amplifier gain non-linearities and phase non-linearities into the system and, consequently, can result in distortions in the MRI image.